


Changing Tides

by Coconillax



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Break Up, Cheating, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, Getting Back Together, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Lovers to enemies to lovers, M/M, Pining, Reconciliation, Sad Harry, Sad Louis Tomlinson, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:27:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24781537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coconillax/pseuds/Coconillax
Summary: “If you’d come to me- just yesterday even- I would’ve let you go”Or, the one where Harry and Louis have always been Hazza and Lou, but maybe it wasn’t ever enough.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s), Louis Tomlinson/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	Changing Tides

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! This is the first fic I’m posting on this site, but it’s been on my Wattpad for a while. Let me know how you like it loves.

Childish. 

That's exactly how Harry felt walking back to his and Louis house after clubbing all night with his _friends_.  
Well, they weren’t actually his friends were they? Management had arranged the friendship so that Harry looked more like a party boy and less like the homebody he was. And usually Harry fucking hates going out clubbing with these people. Having to pretend to be interested in the girls they force on him, honestly it makes him sick. It's not that the girls aren't attractive, because they are, they're just not Louis. But last night something had changed. 

He could say it was the alcohol, but Harry wasn't even drunk. He could say that he felt pressured into doing it, but she wasn't even one of the girls management arranged to be there. He could say she forced herself on him, but he had kissed her, he initiated the whole thing. And there, that was it. Harry had gotten off with someone that wasn't Louis, and wasn't forced to do it. Worst of all he actually _enjoyed_ it. 

It didn't mean he loved Louis any less, no that was absolutely not the case. Louis was his earth, moon and stars, basically his universe. But that doesn't change the fact that he enjoyed what happened and wanted to do it again. Maybe not with her, maybe with someone else, and then maybe another person after that. But he also wanted Louis just as much as he had when he was sixteen. He didn't want to cheat on Louis, he wanted this to be a _thing_ , their thing. They would still be together but sometimes Harry would kiss someone else, or maybe have sex with someone else.

But that was childish, he had heard it all before. It was as if the world had unanimously decided that open relationships were unacceptable and that the people in them were naive and immature. That they wanted to have their cake and eat it too. But honestly Harry has never seen someone get a slice of cake and just let it sit there. Cake was meant to be eaten, enjoyed, _savored_ , and nobody ever said people could only ever enjoy one kind or one slice. So maybe this would work, maybe Harry and Louis could still be Hazza and Lou. But maybe they didn't have to be exclusive to be in love. 

Finally reaching his and Louis home he prepared himself for an inevitably serious and uncomfortable conversation. What he wasn't prepared for was a phone shoved in his face as soon as he opened the door. 

"What the fuck is this shit?!" Louis was positively seething as he stood in their doorway wearing black joggers and not much else. Hair disheveled and eyes sleepy Louis still looked absolutely beautiful in the most handsome and rugged way, but now wasn't the time for that. 

The picture on Louis' phone was a clear as day, which is surprising considering it's from inside a night club with shitty lighting and taken on what Harry can only assume is a cell phone. But the image is unmistakable, it’s them. Harry and the girl from last night, his arms wrapped tightly around her slim waist and her hands caught in his hair in what’s clearly an agressive snog. Before Harry can open his mouth and explain Louis is already tearing him a new one. 

"Let me stop you before start spouting off absolute bullshit, there are three more pictures before this one and it shows clear as day that _you_ kissed _her_ ,”

"I -" Harry started 

"And I fucking know what you look like drunk and I'm sorry love but that's not it! Tipsy— _maybe_ — but smashed? _No_ ” Louis was sounding more and more frantic the longer he went on. As someone who thrives off of control it was strange to see him lose it like this. He's snappy sure, but never this genuinely distraught. 

"Just— just tell me why. Why would you cheat on me?" A single tear escaped Louis’ right eye. 

And— fuck, Harry’d spent his entire walk home feeling sorry for himself, he never even considered how devastated Louis would be. He had been so concerned about having to tell Louis he wanted an open relationship he forgot he may not actually have one to open anymore. Because he _cheated_.

Fuck. Harry had cheated on Louis, he was a cheater, an adulterer. He cheated on Louis, _his_ _Louis_. The only person that would ever and could ever hold his heart. The Louis that had willingly sacrificed his own freedom and happiness just to be with Harry. The Louis who held him when he cried because Eleanor was taking up too much of his time. The Louis that would tell him until he was blue in the face that Harry was the only man for him. Harry had cheated on that Louis. And now Harry was going to ask even more of him.  
Harry closed his eyes, disgusted with himself. How could he be so cruel? 

"I-" Harry chocked, unable to form words, too appalled at his own actions. He prides himself on being polite and considerate to everyone, how had his efforts managed to skip over the love of his life? Harry lifted a hand to try and rub away the sudden tightness in his chest. He couldn’t breath, he couldn’t fucking _breath_.

"Let's sit, yeah?" Even when he was done wrong Louis was still looking out for Harry. He could tell that Harry was getting overwhelmed and even though under the impression that he's being cheated on, Louis still takes care of Harry. And that's makes it so much worse. How can Louis consider Harry when he didn't even give Louis that same courtesy?

"I'm so sorry! I-I can't even give you an excuse or a reason. I just wanted—” Harry stops himself. Now wasn't the time to be making requests or demands. Now was the time for groveling, begging, hoping and praying that this wouldn’t end his relationship. 

Releasing a heavy sigh Louis looked right into Harry's eyes. His beautiful blue eyes looked so hurt, so broken but at the same time so, so resigned. Harry never wanted to see that look ever again. 

"What did you want?"

And what? Was he seriously asking what Harry wanted right now? 

Already shaking his head furiously Harry replied. "Nothing! No! Nothing at all. I'm sor-" 

"Stop. You-" he sighed heavily. Looking like the weight of the word had settled itself on his shoulders. "You've already cheated on me. Do you really want to lie to me as well?" Louis’ eyes sparked with an anger Harry had never seen before and fearful of its outcome he furiously shook his head. 

"Alright, go on then."

"I want to open our relationship." Releasing a sharp breath Harry felt like a small weight had been lifted off his chest, but the majority of it remained. 

Louis was not pleased. He was still looking expectantly at Harry, and okay Harry is man enough to acknowledge that he still has quite a bit of explaining to do.

"I-I love you, of course I would never not love you, you know you’re it for me romantically. But— like,” Harry sighed, twisting the promise ring around his middle finger.

“I want to kiss other people sometimes. A-and I want to like, sleep with other people sometimes. I still want to kiss you and sleep with you! I could be with you forever! But I just- I don't know." Shrugging Harry laid it all out on the table, trying to look casual, knowing he was anything but. 

Still Louis hadn't said anything. 

"I mean I won't if you don't want me to! I swear what happened was a one time thing. If you don't want an open relationship then that's okay. Like there's nothing wrong with— nothing wrong at all. It's just— I'm nineteen Lou and I want to experience more. I want to experiment a little." Finally looking up from his lap, Harry looked up into Louis eyes. But this time Louis was shaking his head. 

"No this won't work. I-I'm not okay with an open relationship I don't want-" he cut himself off with a deep sigh. 

"Okay! Okay! That's perfectly okay Lou we can-" 

"Shut up Harry." Louis snapped. 

Well okay then. 

"I'm- I can't handle that Harry. The thought of other people having you the same way I have you, the thought that you'd ever have to leave someone else to come home to me it's-" devastating. Louis didn't have to say it out loud for Harry to hear it. 

"I didn't enter this relationship thinking that this was something I'd try. You're it for me in more ways than one. I can't share you with other people Harry I can't- I won't, its-"  
This time Harry cut Louis off. "Louis that's _okay_." 

"No Harry. I'm not done! It's not okay. It's not. I'm not staying in an open relationship with you. I'm not staying in any relationship with you. Maybe if we'd discussed this before I could've told you- we could've ended this before it got to this point. I could've told you that being open would never work with me. I would've let you go Harry. If you'd come to me- just yesterday even- I would've let you _go_." 

"I would have let you go and explore and because I love you, because _I'm_ _in_ _love_ _with_ _you_ ,I would've waited. For you to either come back to me or fall in love with someone else. But you cheated on me Harry, and that’s unforgivable." Louis eyes were quickly welling with tears betraying how hurt he really was, despite trying to keep up a strong front. 

"But don't- don't twist this Harry. Wanting an open relationship isn't _wrong_. It works for so many people, makes so many people happy. But not me. It doesn't work for me and for that, for _only_ that, I'm sorry." Standing up Louis started patting his pockets as if he was looking for something. But Harry was already quietly sobbing into his hands. He knew where this was going. 

"I'm gonna be pissed with you for a while Harry, not because of what you’ve asked me but because you’re a cheater and liar and you really fucking suck,” Harry only cried harder. Louis has told him he sucked before but this was the first time it was clear that he meant it. 

“I expect— well, expected more from you Harry. I hoped after three years together our communication skills would be better. I hoped that after three years together you’d trust me enough to tell me if you were feeling unsure. I _hoped_ that after three fucking years you would care enough about me _not_ to cheat on me. Fuck, Harry how could you cheat on me?! On _me_?!” Louis’ whole body trembled and he wrapped an arm around his bare torso, as if to hold himself together. 

Louis didn’t give him the chance to answer, and Harry was grateful because truthfully he didn’t think he would’ve been able to. “I was ready to marry you Harry, I already fucking bought the ring-” Louis cut himself off with his first sob of the night. It seemed that the dam had been broken though because after the first his sobs didn’t stop. 

Louis took a deep breath before he continued, “I’m hurt Harry, not gonna lie, bloody gutted actually, so I’m probably gonna be a right piece of shit to you for a while. You’ve broken my heart Harry and I reserve the right to hate you for that” As Louis got himself together Harry only shattered quicker and more loudly. Louis hates him now, he’d actually for the first time since they met said that he _hated_ him.

“You don’t— you can’t meant that Louis, _please_ don’t say that.” 

“Pretty goddamn sure I do H, and please stop with the kicked puppy look. You deserve all the hate I’ve got, and the sad thing is you’re probably not going to get it. I’ve always been soft for you Harry, I doubt that’ll change anytime soon.” Smiling ruefully Louis finally seemed to find what he was searching for and pulled something out of his pockets. Keys. 

Harry panics."Please don't leave me Lou I can-"

"Oh no _I'm_ not leaving, _you_ are leaving. I'm going to crash at Zayn’s for a bit, and when I come back I expect you to have packed your shit and moved out of my house. I'm sorry Harry but I'm not going to act like I’m the one who fucked up here. That was on you and you alone. So sadly it's going to be you that's flat hunting."

Harry's surprised he isn’t laid out on the floor, he can’t breath, he can’t think. All he knows is that he’s lost the love of his life, he’s lost the man that could’ve been and should’ve been his husband and now he was losing their home. They’d searched for it together, bought it together, and decorated it together. They wanted to raise a _family_ in this home, together. Harry had sacrificed all of that, just for a half assed hand job in the toilets of some dodgy club. Maybe if they had discussed it before then the could've worked it out. Maybe they would be laughing now and not crying. Maybe they would be having a cup of tea all wrapped up in each other. Maybe they'd be kissing now, maybe Louis would be pushing in and out of Harry moaning as he finally reached his release. Maybe they'd be okay, if only Harry hadn't fucked up. 

Without looking at Harry, Louis makes quick strides until he was out the door. Only to come right back two seconds later walking even quicker back towards him. In the corner of his eye Harry could see his hand raising up towards his face. Assuming Louis was coming back to slap him, Harry braced himself for the oncoming collision. Only it never came.  
In it's stead was a soft hand smaller than Harry's own resting gently on his cheek. His other hand shot out to his collar, pulling him down to Louis' face and into a bruising kiss. 

This was unlike any other kiss they'd had before, because it wasn't a 'see you later', not an 'I missed you', not an 'I want you and I want you _now_ ’ not a 'you're mine and I want these people to know it' and definitely not an 'I love you'. This was a goodbye. He hoped he'd never have to know, hoped to remain in blissful ignorance of what a goodbye felt like. But he knows now and damn if it doesn't feel like heartbreak as well. 

Harry kissed Louis with all that he had in him, as if the world was ending. Harry felt like it was.

Louis pulled back slightly to mumble against his mouth “Gonna miss you, Haz” 

Harry whimpered. 

But all too soon it was over and Louis was pulling back to look him in the eye. 

"Goodbye Curly" 

And then he was gone, before Harry's lips could even form around one last pleading “Lou”.

Harry looked around their— well, Louis’ home, it was so empty so silent, so lifeless without Louis. Harry finally let himself sink to the floor as his heart jumped from his chest, out of his throat and onto the floor, thoroughly beaten and broken. 

When his eyes found shiny boots next to a smaller pair of black vans Harry finally let himself scream.

**Author's Note:**

> So.. how was that? There’s another part coming, I promise, I wouldn’t do y’all like that and end it sadly lol. Anyways.. chat to me on Tumblr @coconillax if you want (check out my prompts too if you’ve got time *wink wink*)  
> peace and love ❤️


End file.
